Abstract: An active release system for a pedal assembly which permits the pedal to be operated after releasing. A pivot pin supporting the pedal arm is mounted in a plurality of slots. The pin is held in position in the slots by a release lever assembly. The release lever assembly is held in position by two shear pins. The force of the discharge during a crash breaks the shear pins to rotate a release lever away from the pivot pin. The pedal pivot pin is then free to travel in the slots in the mounting bracket towards the occupant thereby pivoting the pedal arm from the passenger compartment allowing the pedal to be operated after releasing.

Abstract: A pedal assembly for simulating the feel of a standard pedal assembly in a vehicle. The pedal assembly includes a pedal pivotally mounted to a housing. A lever arm is further provided connecting the pedal to the housing. A kickdown subassembly is mounted within the housing. The kickdown subassembly includes a bead and an abutment portion. Depression of the pedal assembly results in movement of the bead towards the abutment portion and provides for kickdown when the bead contacts the abutment portion and then subsequently moves past the abutment portion.

Abstract: The electronic clutch pedal assembly includes a housing bracket for mounting the pedal assembly to the vehicle, a pedal arm, and a biasing device. The pedal arm includes an upper end and a pedal pad at a lower end. The upper end of the pedal arm is pivotally supported within the housing bracket for movement along a pedal path between an undepressed position and a depressed position. The biasing device includes a first end cap pivotally attached to the housing bracket and a second end cap pivotally attached to the pedal arm. The biasing device includes a compressible member disposed between the first end cap and the second end cap. The compressible member biases the pedal arm towards the undepressed position. Upon depression of the pedal arm towards the depressed position, the compressible member compresses as the biasing device rotates to provide a variable pedal resistance over the pedal path.

Abstract: A compact vehicle pedal includes a mounting bracket having a lower arm with guide slot. A swing plate having a mounting face and upper arm with guide slot is pivotally interconnected to a mounting bracket upper arm at a first axis by a pivot pin disposed within the swing plate guide slot, and the swing plate upper end has a first degree of freedom. An electronically controlled pedal arm assembly is mounted on the swing plate. A screw member connected to a drive apparatus has an end connected to the swing plate and operatively connected to the mounting bracket slot at the second axis, and the swing plate lower end has a second degree of freedom that is greater than the first. Activation of the drive apparatus displaces the screw member to pivotally constrain movement of the swing plate about the first axis and the second axis.

Abstract: An electronic throttle control pedal assembly includes a housing having a cavity formed therein which is mounted to the vehicle. A hub is rotatably attached to the housing within the cavity. The hub includes at least a portion having a circumferential outer wall having an engagement portion. The pedal assembly includes a pedal arm having a pedal pad positioned at one end, and an opposite end operatively attached to the hub such that depression of the pedal pad rotates the hub.

Abstract: An adjustable pedal includes a mounting bracket and guide housing having a gear sector formed therein. The gear sector pivots about a fixed pivot during adjustment, and the mounting bracket upper arm includes an arcuate slot having a radius of curvature centered at the fixed pivot. A swing plate is slidingly supported within the arcuate slot in the mounting bracket upper arm at a second non-fixed pivot point located radially inboard from the first pivot point. The swing plate includes a gear sector that cooperates with the guide housing gear sector. A pedal arm with pedal pad is attached to the swing plate. An adjustment mechanism adjusts the pedal pad position. The guide housing gear sector pivots about the fixed pivot, engaging the swing plate gear sector and varying the position of the non-fixed pivot within the slot in the mounting bracket arm, constraining travel of the pedal pad.

Abstract: A throttle position sensor having a housing and a body rotatably mounted within the housing. An alignment clip is attached to the body so that the alignment clip rotates in unison with the body. This alignment clip, furthermore, is adapted to receive an end of a throttle shaft at a predetermined angular position and aligned body to the throttle shaft. A sensor is also mounted to the housing and generates an output signal representative of the rotational position of the body relative to the housing.

Abstract: A brake pedal assembly, for use in a vehicle, includes a support bracket, a first and second side walls extending outwardly from the support bracket. The first side wall includes an integral switch portion having a pair of generally parallel arcuate slots. A pedal arm, having a pair of contact posts positioned to extend through the pair of arcuate slots, is pivotally mounted between the first and second side walls. A conductive strip interconnects each of the pair of contact posts. The support bracket further includes a switch cover plate enclosing the integral switch portion of the first side wall. An electronic switch is disposed on an inside surface of the cover plate, and comes into electrical communication with the conductive strip as the contact posts travel within the arcuate slot in response to movement of the pedal arm, to send an electrical signal to an associated vehicle component.

Abstract: A compact vehicle pedal includes a mounting bracket having a lower arm with guide slot. A swing plate having a mounting face and upper arm with guide slot is pivotally interconnected to a mounting bracket upper arm at a first axis by a pivot pin disposed within the swing plate guide slot, and the swing plate upper end has a first degree of freedom. An electronically controlled pedal arm assembly is mounted on the swing plate. A screw member connected to a drive apparatus has an end connected to the swing plate and operatively connected to the mounting bracket slot at the second axis, and the swing plate lower end has a second degree of freedom that is greater than the first. Activation of the drive apparatus displaces the screw member to pivotally constrain movement of the swing plate about the first axis and the second axis.

Abstract: An electronically controlled floor mounted pedal assembly with a position sensor includes a base. A control arm is pivotally mounted to the base member at a control arm pivot axis, and a pedal arm is pivotally mounted to the base member at a pedal arm pivot axis. The control arm free end is positioned adjacent an inner surface of the pedal arm. A friction generating member mounted on the control arm free end contacts a pedal arm friction member positioned on the inner surface of the pedal arm to generate frictional hysteresis force. A spring positioned between the base member and the control arm free end initially biases the control arm against the pedal arm. A position sensor supported on the base member about the control arm pivot axis senses angular rotation of the control arm about the control arm pivot axis as the pedal arm rotates about the pedal arm pivot axis.

Abstract: A throttle position sensor having a housing and a body rotatably mounted within the housing. An alignment clip is attached to the body so that the alignment clip rotates in unison with the body. This alignment clip, furthermore, is adapted to receive an end of a throttle shaft at a predetermined angular position and aligned body to the throttle shaft. A sensor is also mounted to the housing and generates an output signal representative of the rotational position of the body relative to the housing.

Abstract: An adjustable pedal includes a mounting bracket and guide housing having a gear sector formed therein. The gear sector pivots about a fixed pivot during adjustment, and the mounting bracket upper arm includes an arcuate slot having a radius of curvature centered at the fixed pivot. A swing plate is slidingly supported within the arcuate slot in the mounting bracket upper arm at a second non-fixed pivot point located radially inboard from the first pivot point. The swing plate includes a gear sector that cooperates with the guide housing gear sector. A pedal arm with pedal pad is attached to the swing plate. An adjustment mechanism adjusts the pedal pad position. The guide housing gear sector pivots about the fixed pivot, engaging the swing plate gear sector and varying the position of the non-fixed pivot within the slot in the mounting bracket arm, constraining travel of the pedal pad.

Abstract: An adjustable pedal assembly for a vehicle includes a mounting bracket having a mounting face and a pair of opposed upper arms. The assembly includes a first lever arm supported between the pair of mounting bracket upper arms at a first fixed pivot point. The assembly also includes a swing plate pivotally supported by the first lever arm at a second non-fixed pivot point located radially outboard from the first fixed pivot point, and having a mounting face, a pair of upper arms radially extending, a vertically extending lower arm and an outwardly extending pedal support arm. The assembly further includes a second lever arm pivotally attached to the swing plate lower arm at a third non-fixed pivot point at one end and another end pivotally attached to the mounting bracket at a fourth fixed pivot point. The assembly includes a pedal arm operatively attached to the swing plate with a pedal pad attached at a lower end.

Abstract: An electronically controlled pedal assembly with hysteresis includes a mounting bracket and pedal arm and a pedal support arm extending therebetween. The pedal arm is pivotally mounted to the pedal support arm at a pedal arm pivot point. The pedal support arm is pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket at a pedal support arm pivot point. A hysteresis generating means is operatively supported by the support arm at the pedal support arm pivot point, and includes a torsion spring and a friction spacer having a cylindrical portion and an outer helical flange. The friction spacer is disposed within the torsion spring such that the outer flange of the friction spacer fits between the coils of the coil spring. Rotation of the support arm creates a frictional hysteresis force between the torsion spring and the friction spacer that is translated back through the pedal arm.

Abstract: A support bracket with an integral switch for a brake pedal assembly for a vehicle is provided. The support bracket includes a generally planar mounting face having at least one aperture for securing the support bracket to the vehicle. The brake pedal assembly includes a pivot means a pedal arm and a pedal link pivotally mounted onto the pivot means, and operatively connected to the pedal arm. At least one pair of contact posts is disposed on the pedal link and positioned to extend therethrough the corresponding arcuate slot in the integral switch housing. The support bracket further includes a switch cover plate enclosing the integral switch portion of the first side wall.

Abstract: An adjustable pedal assembly for a vehicle includes a mounting bracket having a mounting face and a pair of opposed upper arms. The assembly includes a first lever arm supported between the pair of mounting bracket upper arms at a first fixed pivot point. The assembly also includes a swing plate pivotally supported by the first lever arm at a second non-fixed pivot point located radially outboard from the first fixed pivot point, and having a mounting face, a pair of upper arms radially extending, a vertically extending lower arm and an outwardly extending pedal support arm. The assembly further includes a second lever arm pivotally attached to the swing plate lower arm at a third non-fixed pivot point at one end and another end pivotally attached to the mounting bracket at a fourth fixed pivot point. The assembly includes a pedal arm operatively attached to the swing plate with a pedal pad attached at a lower end.

Abstract: An electronically controlled pedal assembly with hysteresis includes a mounting bracket and pedal arm and a pedal support arm extending therebetween. The pedal arm is pivotally mounted to the pedal support arm at a pedal arm pivot point. The pedal support arm is pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket at a pedal support arm pivot point. A hysteresis generating means is operatively supported by the support arm at the pedal support arm pivot point, and includes a torsion spring and a friction spacer having a cylindrical portion and an outer helical flange. The friction spacer is disposed within the torsion spring such that the outer flange of the friction spacer fits between the coils of the coil spring. Rotation of the support arm creates a frictional hysteresis force between the torsion spring and the friction spacer that is translated back through the pedal arm.

Abstract: An electronically controlled pedal assembly with hysteresis includes a housing having a front wall and an arcuate friction wall having a radius of curvature centered on a pedal arm pivot point and extending from an edge of the front wall. The pedal assembly also includes a pedal arm rotatably supported at the pedal arm pivot point by a mounting means operatively connected to the housing, and a hysteresis generating means pivotally mounted to the pedal arm. The pedal assembly further includes a spring positioned between the housing and the hysteresis generating means, such that the spring biases the hysteresis generating means against the housing, so that depression of the pedal arm compresses the spring while generating an increasing frictional hysteresis force between the arcuate friction wall and the hysteresis generating means that is translated back through the pedal arm, and release of the pedal arm reduces the frictional hysteresis force.

Abstract: An adjustable pedal assembly for a vehicle includes a mounting bracket having a mounting face and a pair of opposed upper arms. The assembly includes a first lever arm supported between the pair of mounting bracket upper arms at a first fixed pivot point. The assembly also includes a swing plate pivotally supported by the first lever arm at a second non-fixed pivot point located radially outboard from the first fixed pivot point, and having a mounting face, a pair of upper arms radially extending, a vertically extending lower arm and an outwardly extending pedal support arm. The assembly further includes a second lever arm pivotally attached to the swing plate lower arm at a third non-fixed pivot point at one end and another end pivotally attached to the mounting bracket at a fourth fixed pivot point. The assembly includes a pedal arm operatively attached to the swing plate with a pedal pad attached at a lower end.

Abstract: An adjustable pedal assembly for a vehicle includes an adjustment bracket adapted for mounting on a vehicle, and the adjustment bracket includes a pair of outwardly extending side portions having a vertically extending arcuate slot. The adjustable pedal assembly also includes a pedal arm pivotally attached to the adjustment bracket using a pivot pin, such that an end of the pivot pin is slidably disposed within the arcuate slot in the adjustment bracket. The adjustable pedal assembly further includes a pedal pad mounted to the pedal arm, and a pedal adjustment mechanism operatively attached to the pedal arm, for adjusting the position of the pedal arm along a predetermined path, such that the pivot pin is slidably positioned in the arcuate slot relative to the predetermined path of the pedal arm to ergonomically position the pedal pad.